098 - Sūrat al-Baiyyinah

In the name of Allah (who is) Rahmān (and) Rahīm.

[For explanation, see Sūrat al-Fātiha: 1]

1

The disbelievers from among (min: explicative) the People of the Scripture and the idolaters, that is, the idol-worshippers (wa'l-mushrikīna is a supplement to ahl, 'the People of') were not going to leave off (munfakkīna is the predicate of yakun, 'were'), that is to say, they were not going to abandon their ways, until the clear proof, namely, Muhammad "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam", should come to them, that is, [until] it came to them;

2

a Messenger (rasūl) from Allahu ta’ālā (rasūlun mina'llāhi substitutes for al-bayyinatu, 'the clear proof'), namely, the Prophet "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam", reciting pages purified, of [all] falsehood,

3

wherein are upright precepts, written rulings that are upright, that is to say, one who recites what contains all that, and that is the Qur'ān. Thus some of them believed in it, while others disbelieved.

4

And those who were given the Scripture did not become divided, regarding belief in him [the Prophet] "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam", except after the clear proof had come to them, namely, the Prophet "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" - or the Qur'ān which he brought as his miracle. Before his "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" arrival they had all agreed to believe in him when he would come; then those who disbelieved in him from among them became envious of him.

5

And they were only commanded, in their Scripture, the Torah and the Gospel, to worship Allahu ta’ālā (illā li-ya'budū means illā an ya'budū, an having been omitted and the lām added) devoting religion purely to Him, [free] of any idolatry, as hanīfs, upright in [following] the religion of Abraham and the religion of Muhammad "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam", when he would come - so how is it that they disbelieved in him? and to establish prayer and pay the alms. That is the upright religion, the upright creed.

6

Truly the disbelievers from among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters shall be in the fire of Hell, to abide therein (khālidīna: an implied circumstantial qualifier, in other words, it will be decreed for them by Allahu ta’ālā, exalted be He, to abide therein) - those are the worst of creatures.

7

Truly those who believe and perform righteous deeds - they are the best of creatures (al-bariyyah means al-khalīqa).

8

Their reward with their Rabb will be Gardens of Eden, as a residence, underneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide forever. Allahu ta’ālā is pleased with them, because of [their] obedience of Him, and they are pleased with Him, because of His reward. That is [the reward] for him who fears his Rabb, [for him] who fears His punishment and hence desists from disobeying Him, exalted be He.